Demolishing the interior of a house from top to bottom only takes a few days, but it reveals decades of history. The splendor of paint choices from the 1970's come to light. Cloth-wrapped electrical wires are pulled out and replaced with new. Old rusted iron pipes from 1925 are laid to rest with new copper and PVC in their place. Yards of badly worn carpet land in the dumpster.
Some things are worth preserving, such as the original doors we described in Winnetka Colonial Chronicles Part 1. Still, we're going to say farewell to many things in this house, starting with the kitchen.
Half the original kitchen. Old, dark, and tiny.
The other half with one of the original double ovens made for homeowners.
Adios, old kitchen.
The rim joists were stuffed with newspaper from the last year these walls were opened up. "Give 'em Hell, Harry" Truman was the President then, and newspaper is a hellishly poor insulation material compared to the modern alternatives--one of those instances when "old" is truly not better than "new" in construction techniques. We love old homes, sort of.
One way to think about the age of this house is to see that insulation was added when you could take an 11 day cruise of the Caribbean islands for $240.
The old electric panel. We are upgrading to 200 amp service with an underground connection to the street (no wires hanging above the front lawn).
The old iron pipes, some heavily corroded, with a handful of old newspaper evident. When replaced, the new plumbing system should last at least another 100 years.
#2 son continuing his work on the many doors in the house.
The new kitchen will be installed here.
The next step is to frame large sections of the interior and begin the process of rebuilding. We've made a huge mess, and now we have to put this home back together. More to come in Winnetka Colonial Chronicles Part 3.
